The Stagmomantis Carolina is the state insect for South Carolina. A Carolina mantis holds its forelegs in a praying position to catch its prey. That is how it gets the nickname of a “Praying Mantis”. They are commonly seen during the months of September, and early October. Their habitats are meadows and gardens. To attack their prey they sit and wait until an insect comes up and then they grab them with their forelegs. They then eat the captured insect. The reproduction of the Carolina Mantis is the most interesting thing of all. In order for the female mantis to lay eggs, they have to have enough food to survive, because while they lay their eggs they lose about a one-third percent of their body mass.

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A well fed female mantis is less likely to attack the male mate and eat him, because she knows she can survive the egg laying process. In late March or early April the eggs hatch. There are about 50 eggs that hatch. The Young mantises are not born with wings. While they are young they will shed a lot of skin. In the late summer they shed their skin for the very last time. Carolina Mantis is the smallest of its genus. They have a very long thorax, long thin legs, and spiked forelegs. Their head can turn about freely, and they are the only insect that can look over its shoulder. It is the smallest out of four species. Carolina Mantis can measure up to only two and half inches.

Their predators are other female mantis, black widow spiders, and scorpions. They eat butterflies, moths, bees, and other bugs. They have no backbone so therefore they are an invertebrate, which means they are an animal without a backbone. The color of their skin is a tanish- green color. You can find a Carolina Mantis almost anywhere in the United States. Stagmomantis Carolina spends most of their lives on one tree. They will stay in one place as long as their food supply last. Once the food supply is gone they move to another place. Their ears can detect high frequency sounds, just like a bat can. When it hears its prey it will change its flight pattern to go find the prey or food supply. I have found this insect very interesting, especially when they would eat their mates, how disgusting.

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Author: Beth J
Published: 02/2008

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Sources: Web site: BugGuide. net; animaldiversity. ummz: Retrieved February 2, 2008 http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/mantids/praying/, Retrieved February 2, 2008 Hutchins, Ross E., Insects and Their Young, Dodd, Mead, and Company, New York, 1975 Simon Hilda, Insect Masquerades, The Viking Press Inc., New York, New York, 1968

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Photo Credit: http://chr.wikigadugi.org/wiki/Image:Mantis2_6065.jpg